The real reason high street sizing varies in so dramatically

A 12 in one shop and a 16 in another? You’re not the only woman confused about what size she is, with retailers facing an increasing amount of criticism over recent years for the disparity in their clothes sizing labels.

As a result, Channel 5 have launched a consumer investigation into the topic with their series, Shop Smart Save Money for Christmas which has found that there are huge differences to sizing in a range of leading high street shops.

The investigation looked into the clothing sizes of Next, M&S, Topshop, H&M, Primark and Asos, trying their clothes on three women, one sized eight, one 12 and another 16. Shockingly, the size of the clothes varied up to four centimeters, despite being labelled to be the exact same size!

The brands that faired well on test were M&S and Next, being the most true to size, but why is it brands sizing can vary so much?

Despite EU guidelines being in place to stop this disparity, brands are allowed to use their own measurements. The European clothing standards list size 8 waist as 68cm, hips 92cm, and bust 84cm; a size 12 is waist 76cm, hips 100cm, and bust 92cm; for a size 16 the waist is 84cm, hips 108cm, and the bust 100cm. In comparison to these guidelines, brands such as Topshop were measuring a size 8 as having a 64.2cm waist, 88.5cm hips and 82cm bust. Following the investigation Topshop have now changed their size guides.